Bowling glove



Aug. 23, 1960 s. LUTSKY BOWLING GLOVE Filed June 2. 195a FIG2 ooooooooooooooooao 6 u "00 O0 2 ooouocoocooooooooouoooco 26 FIG!- INVENTOR,

. SIDNEY LUTSKY W FIGS United States Patent BOWLING GLOVE Sidney Lutsky, 1490 Goodbar, Memphis, Tenn.

Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,210

2 Claims. (21. 2-16 This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gloves particularly of the type adapted for use in bowling, and is particularly directed to vastly enhancing the feel which the bowler may achieve with the bowling ball while maintaining protection of the bowlers fingers.

As is well known, bowling balls are conventionally provided with a plurality of openings for the insertion of the bowlers fingers in order to enable him to grip and control the ball. Over long sessions of bowling, the friction of the bowling ball being released by the fingers and passing along the fingers creates a sometimes unpleasant rubbing eflfect on the fingers and thumb of the bowler, and many bowlers have adopted one or another type of glove device for the purpose of protecting the fingers.

' 4 Inherently such glove devices have been faulty in their usefulness to the bowler in that while probably protect- .ing the fingers of the bowler, they have presented cumbersome and relatively bulky surfaces which have detracted from the bowlers ability to feel the bowling ball apertures and have consequently reduced the ability of the bowler to control the ball in its path from his hands to impact with the bowling pins. Additionally, prior bowling glove devices have heretofore contemplated the utilization of material covering the palm of the hand which has further impeded with the bare hand feel, which the .control over the ball.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel glove means, particularly adapted for use by bowlers in bowling.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the ball engaging surfaces of the bowlers fingers are covered by a membrane-like thin, resilient panel as of thin rubber latex substantially preserving the skin-like contact of the finger with the ball while providing a protection to the surface of the finger.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the membrane-like surfaces for covering the bowlers fingers are carried by a fabric glove back which is perforated to provide ventilation to the bowlers hand and thus to minimize unnecessary sweating.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the palm portion is left open in order that the palm of the bowlers hand may in desired manner contact the bowling ball during use.

A further object of the invention is to provide such glove means for bowlers with a relatively wide Wristband adapted to be snugly fastened about the wrist of the bowler in order to support the wrist against straining and twisting during bowling; and

A further object of the invention is generally to improve the design, construction and efiiciency of glove means adapted for use by bowlers in bowling.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the positioning of the glove means of the present invention upon a bowlers ferred that the panels 21, 23, 25, be formed band.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the glove as on the hand as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the glove means of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a back view of the glove means of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken as along the longitudinal center line of one of the digit sheaths of the device as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the glove means of the present invention comprise a back panel 11 formed of a perforated fabric for the purpose of providing ventilation to the back of the hand of the user of the device, and the fabric is preferably formed of a natural fiber such as cotton or the like in order to enhance its moisture or perspiration absorption qualities.

Back panel 11 extends from a lower wrist edge 13 upwardly to the finger area where it is provided with a pair of upwardly extending finger sheath backs 15, '17, which are adapted to form the backs of sheaths for encasing two of the fingers of the users hand as for example, the middle finger and ring finger, and which are preferably formed integrally with back panel 11 and of the same material. Additionally, back panel 11 is provided with a somewhat laterally extending sheath back 19, which may be formed integrally with the back panel, or may, as shown in the present drawings, be formed as an independent panel secured to an edge portion of back panel 11, and which is preferably formed of the same material as back panel 11, and is adapted to provide the back of a sheath for housing the thumb of a user of the present device. It will be noted that back panel 11 is formed so as to leave free and unobstructed the areas adjacent to the index finger and little finger of the user of the device.

To the front of the sheath backs 15, 17, are respectively secured as by suitable adhesive or other desirable means, front sheath panels 21, 23 and additionally to sheath back 19 a similar sheath front panel 25 is secured. Each of the panels 21, 23, 25 is formed of a tough, resilient elastic material of extreme thinness so as to preserve substantially the finger feel which the user may accomplish in the utilization of the device substantially equal to the finger feel of the bare fingers. It is preof a thin rubber latex material which is substantially imperforate, is extremely thin, is stretchable in its elasticity and is resilient without bulkiness, providing the characteristics which are desired for the sheath fronts and enabling the front panels closely to adhere to the surface of the users fingers and thumb without gapping or other undesired conditions.

Preferably, each of the panels 21, 23, 25 extends be yond the upper end of the sheath backs 15, 17, 19 in order that the front panels 21, 23, 25 may be lapped over as at 26, 27, 28 so as to encase the tips of the fingers and thumb of the user of the present glove means with the resilient, closely adhering thin material of the front panels.

Thus, it will be seen that the present device provides a glove means in which the middle and ring fingers and thumb of a user are encased in a sheath formed of the perforated fabric back and of the thin latex front panels with the latex front panels terminating substantially at the base of the respective fingers and/or thumb leaving the palm of the user completely free and unimpeded and also leaving the forefinger and ring finger of the user completely unimpeded, while covering the back of the hand of the user with the back panel 11 formed of a material to absorb any accumulation of perspiration on the back of the hand and yet sufliciently ventilate the back of the hand so as to minimize undue increase of perspiration thereon.

In order to secure the glove means of the present invention in position on the users hand, it is preferred that a wristband 30 adapted for fastening on the front of the wrist of the user, be secured along aportion of its upper edge to the wrist edge 13 of back panel 11. Preferably wristband 30 is provided with adjustable fasteners 32 and it will be observed that wristband 30 is of a relatively substantial width in order that when it is fastened about the wrist of a user as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the width of the band will provide a support for the wrist of the user preventing twisting or undue bending or strains on the wrist of the user, as for example during bowling. Wristband 30 is preferably formed of a relatively stiff fabric, having sufiicient body to provide a stiffener for the wrist of a user.

It thus will be seen that the present invention provides an open palmed device, particularly adapted for use in bowling, with gripping finger surfaces providing a maximum of feel and control for the user of the device in bowling.

Preferably the digit sheath front panels 21, 23, 25 are for convenience in positioning on the hand of a user, each provided with fabric tab means which may be readily grasped to pull the sheath into position. In the preferred embodiment shown, a fabric tab 35 is secured to and spans across the lower edges of sheath panels 21, 23, and an additional fabric tab 37 is secured to the lower edge of thumb sheath panel 25. Each of these tabs 35, 37, is secured by suitable adhesive or other desired means to the flexible, membrane-like, sheath panels.

I claim:

1. Glove means adapted for use in bowling comprising a back panel of a porous absorbent fabric adapted to cover the back of the hand of a user, a plurality of digit sheaths connected with the upper part of said back panel and adapted to encase selected digits of such user, said sheaths including a thumb sheath and at least one finger sheath for an intermediate finger of the hand of a user, each said sheath being of a length to substantially completely cover the digits of such user and including a sheath back of said fabric connected with said back panel at the lower part of the sheath back and extending upwardly throughout a majority of the length of the sheath terminating at its upper end below the upper end of the sheath, each said sheath having a sheath front and a tip portion of membrane-like, tough, thin, resilient material connected to the perimeter of the sheath back, said sheath front at its lower end terminating substantially at the level of the connection of the sheath back and said back panel and adapted thereby to extend along a digit of a user into adjacency with the base of the front of a digit of a user forwardly of said back panel leaving the palm area of the user free, said sheath front extending upwardly along the front of the sheath, said tip portion overlying the upper end of the sheath and extending a minor distance downwardly along the rear of the sheath joining the upper end of the sheath back, each said sheath thereby including a resilient front and tip and a fabric back, said back panel extending downwardly from said digit sheaths substantially to the wrist area of a user when said glove means is in use.

2. Glove means adapted for use in bowling comprising a back panel of a porous absorbent fabric adapted to cover the back of the hand of a user, a plurality of digit sheaths connected with the upper part of said back panel and adapted to encase selected digits of such user, said sheaths including a thumb sheath and a pair of finger sheaths for the intermediate fingers of the hand of a user, each said sheath being of a length to substantially completely cover the digits of such user and including a sheath back of said fabric connected with said back panel at the lower part of the sheath back and extending upwardly throughout a majority of the length of the sheath terminating at its upper end below the upper end of the sheath, each said sheath having a sheath front and a tip portion of membrane-like, tough, thin, resilient material connected to the perimeter of the sheath back, said sheath front at its lower end terminating substantially at the level of the connection of the sheath back and said back panel and adapted thereby to extend along a digit of a user into adjacency with the base of the front of a digit of a user forwardly of said back panel leaving the palm area of the user free, said sheath front extending upwardly along the front of the sheath, said tip portion overlying the upper end of the sheath and extending a minor distance downwardly along the rear of the sheath joining the upper end of the sheath back, each said sheath thereby including a resilient front and tip and a fabric back, said back panel extending downwardly from said digit sheaths substantially to the wrist area of a user when said glove means is in use, and a relatively Wide wrist band fixed to the lower edge of said back panel at its ends extending forwardly and beneath the sheath fronts when secured and having detachable fasteners for securing said band ends together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,391,851 Willard Dec. 25, 1945 2,436,755 Lapell Feb. 24, 1948 2,683,263 Lenhart July 13, 1954 2,769,179 Love Nov. 6, 1956 

